CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--P&G’s My Black is Beautiful (MBIB) continues to drive its mission forward with its latest program, Imagine A Future, to empower young black girls to be their best selves through participating in the 2013 BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Awards. The BLACK GIRLS ROCK! organization is dedicated to promoting positive images of women of color in mass media.
The Imagine a Future Program launched in 2012 with the support of community organizations BLACK GIRLS ROCK! and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), aiming to positively impact the lives of one million black girls over three years. This past April, the program sparked a national conversation surrounding beauty with the release of the Imagine a Future documentary, which followed Delaware teen Janet Goldsboro as she traveled to South Africa to examine the historical and current beauty and self-esteem issues that challenge black women and girls. Since its debut, the program has also worked to equip young girls with tools and solutions, such as scholarships, leadership camps, and online consumer interactive tools.
Now in its second year, MBIB is continuing its momentum by celebrating three dynamic young ladies at the 2013 BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards, each of whom is “Making A Difference” (M.A.D.) in her community. After identifying several social disparities, these M.A.D. girls – Brooklyn Wright, Mary Pat Hector and Ty-Licia Hooker – have created community-based initiatives that have already delivered positive impacts in their communities and on the socio-political landscape.
“There’s nothing more rewarding than being given the opportunity to honor young women who are committed to impacting their community,” said Tatyana Ali, actress, activist and MBIB ambassador. “We’re proud of the three role models we’re celebrating today, and we look forward to seeing how their efforts continue to make a difference and compel other young black girls to do the same.”
Brooklyn Wright, 11, of Atlanta, GA., is an award winning “earth saver,” who travels from school-to-school to share her passion for litter prevention. Wright will donate learning gardens to 10 schools this year and will have her first annual Earth Saver Girl day camp.
Mary Pat Hector, 15, of Atlanta, GA., founded “Youth Action USA” in an effort to take a stand against gun violence, bullying and youth issues. She also serves as the National Youth Director of National Action Network Youth Move, an organization founded by civil rights pioneer Reverend Al Sharpton.
Ty-Licia Hooker, 22, of Stockton, Calif., is president and founder of two community outreach programs. She influences at-risk youth through her programs STORM and the Summer Success and Leadership Academy, where an emphasis is placed on youth development and maturation.
“These three young ladies are the epitome of what the Imagine A Future program is all about, and it’s our privilege to honor them for their dedication, hard work, and strength,” said Grace Janes, brand manager, Procter & Gamble. “When we see exemplary examples such as these three amazing young girls, we’re encouraged that we can and will achieve our Imagine a Future mission to create a beautiful future for our young black girls. It’s our honor to know them and see them shine.”
Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of the M.A.D. Girls when the 2013 BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards airs on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 7:00PM/6:00PM Central on BET. Be the voice of change to inspire and empower one million black girls to believe their Black is Beautiful! Join MBIB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to help us #ImagineAFuture.
About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves approximately 4.8 billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Ace®, Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Duracell®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Fusion®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Iams®, Lenor®, Mach3®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Prestobarba®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
About BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™
Founded by celebrity DJ and Philanthropist, Beverly Bond, BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ is dedicated to promoting positive images of women of color in mass media. BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Inc., is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, that has been dedicated to the healthy development of young women and girls since 2006. BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Inc. seeks to build the self-esteem and self-worth of young women of color by changing their outlook on life, broadening their horizons and helping them to empower themselves. For additional information on BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™, visit http://www.blackgirlsrock.org
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET operates in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
